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Encyclopedia > Physical dependence

Physical dependence refers to a state resulting from habitual use of a drug, where negative physical withdrawal symptoms result from abrupt discontinuation.[1] From the point of view of the dependent person, "dependence is duress," argues addiction researcher Griffith Edwards.[2] Withdrawal, also known as withdrawal syndrome, refers to the characteristic signs and symptoms that appear when a drug that causes physical dependence is regularly used for a long time and then suddenly discontinued or decreased in dosage. ...

Contents

Symptoms

Increased heart rate and/or blood pressure, sweating, and tremors are common signs of withdrawal. More serious symptoms such as confusion, seizures, and visual hallucinations indicate a serious emergency and the need for immediate medical care. Alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates are the only commonly abused substances that can be fatal in withdrawal. Though extremely unpleasant and potentially dramatic, withdrawal from opiates does not pose a direct medical threat.[citation needed]


Treatment

Treatment for physical dependence depends upon the drug being withdrawn and often includes administration of another drug, especially for substances that can be dangerous when abruptly discontinued. Treatment usually requires the initiation and then tapering of a medication that has a similar action in the brain but a longer half-life.


Difference from Addiction

Physical dependence is different from addiction. The latter is often characterized by a psychological need for a drug, while the former can often be the result of legal, long-term use of medicine.[3]


Drugs that cause physical dependence

Barbituric acid, the basic structure of all barbiturates Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system depressants, and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to anesthesia. ... Alprazolam 2mg tablets The benzodiazepines (pronounced , or benzos for short) are a class of psychoactive drugs considered as minor tranquilizers with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and amnesic properties, which are brought on by slowing down the central nervous system. ... Ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol or grain alcohol, is a flammable, colorless chemical compound, one of the alcohols that is most often found in alcoholic beverages. ... Alcoholic beverages An alcoholic beverage (also known as booze in slang term) is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, although in chemistry the definition of alcohol includes many other compounds. ... gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (4-hydroxybutanoic acid, C4H8O3), commonly abbreviated GHB, is a therapeutic drug which is illegal in multiple countries[1] and a naturally occurring substance found in the central nervous system, wine, beef, small citrus fruits and almost all other living creatures in small amounts. ... Methaqualone tablets and capsules. ... This article is about the chemical compound. ... An opioid is a chemical substance that has a morphine-like action in the body. ... Amphetamine or Amfetamine(Alpha-Methyl-PHenEThylAMINE), also known as beta-phenyl-isopropylamine and benzedrine, is a prescription stimulant commonly used to treat Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children. ...

References

  1. ^ Drug Addiction. CNN.
  2. ^ Griffith Edwards. Alcohol: The World's Favourite Drug. 1st US ed. Thomas Dunne Books: 2002. ISBN 0-312-28387-3. P 72.
  3. ^ Drug Abuse - Addiction vs. Dependence. Our Chronic Pain Mission.

See also

For other uses, see addicted. ... There are a variety of addiction recovery groups and methods other than those that follow the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. ... SSRI discontinuation syndrome, also known as SSRI withdrawal syndrome or SSRI cessation syndrome, is a condition that can occur during or following the interruption, lowering of dose or discontinuation of regular SSRI or SNRI antidepressant drug usage. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

External links

  • Drugs causing physical dependence taken from Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, Section 15, Chapter 195" Merck Manual.

  Results from FactBites:
 
Addiction - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (3587 words)
Not all doctors do agree on what addiction or dependency is*, particularly because traditionally, addiction has been defined as being possible only to a psychoactive substance (for example alcohol, tobacco, or drugs), which is ingested, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and alters the natural chemical behavior of the brain temporarily.
Physical dependence on a substance is defined by the appearance of characteristic withdrawal symptoms when the drug is suddenly discontinued.
In cases of physical dependency on depressants of the central nervous system such as opioids, barbiturates, or alcohol, the absence of the substance can lead to symptoms of severe physical discomfort.
NPEC Monograph 2 (981 words)
The relevance and importance of the distinction between physical dependence and addiction, as well as tolerance and abuse, resides in the fact that their defining properties are not coextensive and they do not invariably occur together.
Physical dependence should not be confused with "substance dependence" or "drug dependence." Most of the criteria for substance dependence, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders 4th Edition.
In this respect, physical dependence (i.e., opioid withdrawal syndrome) was reported in only 3% of patients with chronic nonmalignant pain in a long-term study of transdermal fetanyl.
  More results at FactBites »

 

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